Sports

It has usually been the weather interfering with the track meets. This time it ended up being UIL rules. Dripping Springs went to the Hays Track meet and were in good shape to make a run at the title. However, the meet was going a little slow and it ran up against the UIL rule that no new event could start after 10 p.m. on a school night. So the meet had to be halted with the 1600 and 1600 relay not being run, leaving the Tigers in second place and the Lady Tigers third. These were definitely money races for the DS teams and whether they would be enough would be debatable. Nevertheless, what is not debatable is the 400 Tiger relay team continues to lower their record.

After enduring a 2-hit, 1-0 loss to Hays Johnson in his previous outing, Brandon Arvidson topped his performance with a no-hitter over NB Canyon and a 3-1 victory. He would strike out an other 11 batters and walk four. All the runs came in the third when Nico Ruedas led off with a walk, Aiden Perry had a one-out single, followed by Taylor Tracey's hit that scored Ruedas. Sam Agajanian walked to reload. Wyatt Leschber reached on an error to score Perry. Arvidson was HBP with two outs to force in Tracey.

The Dripping Springs Lacrosse team traveled to Lake Travis on Thursday night to take on the Cavaliers in the traditional Thursday before spring break rivalry matchup. The last time the two teams took the field at LT was on the eve of COV- ID’19, with the 2020 Tigers losing by one in double overtime. This game would end up being the final game of the 2020 season and left a lasting burr in the saddle of the Tigers. Across town, the 2020 game is a favorite memory of multiple LT seniors.

Recently the Highland Lakes middle school district held their district track meet. The schools in this district are Bee Cave, Dripping Springs, Hill Country, Hudson Bend, Lake Travis, Sycamore Springs and West Ridge representing Dripping Springs, Lake Travis and Westlake.

After missing out on their own meet, the Dripping Springs track teams moved into a very tough level when they joined 14 other schools in the Round Rock Invitational. It had some of the better track schools in the area. When you get in a meet like this points are difficult to come by and split among the top individuals. Depth does not help unless they are really good. Mostly one is pushed to their limit producing personal bests and allows one to compare where they are out in their training.

The Lady Tigers softball team went to Brenham to get in their final tourney of the year before giving their complete attention to district foes. They got in some very good competition while going 4-2 in the tourney. A regular game with Lake Belton was rescheduled for April 23.

The season sputtered in its start because of the weather but the opening district game with Hays Johnson was an epic battle that should have pleased all staunch baseball fans. The final was a seven-inning 1-0 loss that included 31 strikeouts. Each team had the same identical chance to score a run but only the Jaguars were able to get it done.

The Dripping Springs Lacrosse team faced a tough challenge on Sunday as The Woodlands lacrosse team came to town. Drip got things started early, jumping out to a 2-0 lead behind goals from Jack Tanner and Brendan Linan. The Highlanders would tie things up and the teams would match goals for the balance of the 1st quarter. Aiden Kane added two goals and the game was knotted up at 4 at the end of the quarter.

We have not talked about the Tiger golfers since the holiday break but they have continued to chip and putt, etc while battling the elements. The boys have played in four tourneys, three of which had the second rounds cancelled. The girls played in three one-round tourneys and the JV boys another two.

The soccer program continues to thrive with neither team losing a game in district play and the girls undefeated for the season and have hung on to the #1 state ranking. Only two more weeks remain before the playoffs take over.

Fighting the February weather has not been easy for the DS softball team. March appears to be more favorable. On the first day of March they hosted Boerne Champion in a district game. The 1-1 Lady Tigers got off to a fast start with two runs in the first and second innings and finished up with 3 to blank the Lady Chargers 8-0. Haiden Anderson took the mound and declared she was queen of the hill. She allowed one hit and struck out four in a masterful game. Meanwhile she received the backing of 11 hits from her teammates. Taylor Anderson and Jordan Cox kicked in 4 each, including a triple and home run by Cox. Erika Kanetzky, Attie Lux and Linan Scott had the others.

Boys honorees: First team: Senior Layne Herington. Did not get to play that much last year due to a senior laden team but took advantage of his senior year. He led the team in points (343), 3-FG (64) and FTA (.741).